NRT displace NTSC, are second

KATHMANDU, MAY 01 - New Road Team (NRT) displaced Nabil Three Star Club at the second position of the Martyrs’ Memorial San Miguel ‘A’ Division League football with a 3-2 win over NIBL Friends Club on Friday. The win earned NRT three vital points which helped them leapfrog to second position with 37 points, which is two more than third seeded Three Star Club.

The match resumed from 38th minute exactly the time had to be stopped due to heavy rain on Thursday. NRT began the match with a 2-0 lead. Friends, who were completely outplayed by NRT on Thursday came out fighting on Friday. They returned two goals and made NRT fight hard for their victory. However, NRT’s Ranjeet Shrestha capitalised on the free kick to get the better of Friends. Having started the match at 2-0, Friends’ Pukar Ghatraj and Azad Pradhan scored on 65 and 77 minutes respectively to get the Kupondole based team back in the match.

Shrestha made no mistake as his free kick caressed the back of the net on 83rd minute for NRT. The loss has mounted pressure on Friends who are fourth from the bottom with 21 points.

Thrilled with the win, NRT’s coach Diken Suwal said, “We were able to win vital points, we must keep this form going till the end.”

Friends’ coach Mrigendra Mishra was not happy with his defenders. “We fought back and looked to see the match off when we conceded a free kick and that changed the outcome of the result,” Mishra said, “the danger of relegation is still there.”

On Thursday Nirajan Rayamajhi, and Jeewan Sinkeman had scored the two goals for NRT inside 28 minutes. The match had to be stopped after the remaining ten minutes of the game was marred by rain. Likewise, All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) suspended official of Laxmi Hyundai Manang Marshyangdi Club (MMC) Tshering Wangdel for the next two matches. The result of investigation on Wednesday’s match between MMC and Three Star also relieved volunteer Vishan Rai from his duty after he was found manhandling the audience. ANFA issued a press release on Friday which stated Three Star’s Castory Mumbara has been handed one match suspension. Mumbara had choked MMC’s Ganesh Khadka at the edge of the six-yard box on the 88th minute.

ANFA also sent a warning letter to MMC’s coach Chhiring Lopsang Gurung for his unholy behaviour at the match. Gurung had used foul language to the organising committee during the match.